A09977:557
Life eternalLife eternall
Life eternal or, A treatise of the knowledge of the divine essence and attributes Delivered in XVIII. sermons. By the late faithful and worthy minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston, D. in Divinity, chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty, master of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolns Inn.Life eternall or, A treatise of the knowledge of the divine essence and attributes Delivered in XVIII. sermons. By the late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston, D. in Divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie, master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolns Inne.
London: printed by Richard, 1631
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Hence we may learn then how to understand all those places which we meet with in1 ⟨p. 78⟩Scripture, wherein the Lord expresseth such a solicitude for the death of sinners: as, Why will you die, O house of Israel? why will you not hearken, and obey? And, As I live, saith the Lord, I desire not the death of a sinner. And, how am I pressed under your abominations, even as a cart is pressed with sheaves? And it is said, Gen. 6.6. That the Lord was grieved at the heart, or it pained him at the heart, that he had made man. All these kind of expressions (as it is evident from hence) are but attributed to GOD after the manner of men: not that he is moved, for it cannot be, seeing he is unchangeable: whatsoever new accidents fall out in the world, he is not stirred with them, he is not moved with any new affection: for if he were, he should be, as man is, changeable. But the meaning of those places is, to show the infinite goodness of his nature, and the greatness of our sins: so that as men grieve much, when their wills are crossed, and when their work is brought to nothing, how weary are they, when they strive long, and do no good? So the LORD would express it to us thus, that we might take notice, what the great provocations are, what the sins and faults are, wherewith we offend him from day to day, that we may know what they be, and what price to set upon those sins whereby we weary him from time to time.
Hence wee may learne then how to understand all those places which wee meete with in1 ⟨p. 78⟩Scripture, wherein the Lord expresseth such a sollicitude for the death of sinners: as, Why will you die, O house of Israel? why will you not hearken, and obey? And, As I live, saith the Lord, I desire not the death of a sinner. And, how am I prest under your abominations, even as a cart is pressed with sheaves? And it is said, Gen. 6.6. That the Lord was grieved at the heart, or it pained him at the heart, that hee had made man. All these kind of expressions (as it is evident from hence) are but attributed to GOD after the manner of men: not that hee is moved, for it cannot be, seeing he is unchangeable: whatsoever new accidents fall out in the world, hee is not stirred with them, he is not moved with any new affection: for if he were, he should be, as man is, changeable. But the meaning of those places is, to shew the infinite goodnesse of his nature, and the greatnesse of our sinnes: so that as men grieve much, when their wills are crossed, and when their worke is brought to nothing, how weary are they, when they strive long, and doe no good? So the LORD would expresse it to us thus, that wee might take notice, what the great provocations are, what the sinnes and faults are, wherewith we offend him from day to day, that we may know what they be, and what price to set upon those sinnes whereby we weary him from time to time.